Universal joint and ratchet device



Jun e 12, 1945. D. GRAND so 2,378,369

UNIVERSAL JOINT AND RATCHET DEVICE I Filed Dec. 8,1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1I I rwentor DEN/5 $217M: Inn/so By 19m Junev-1 2," l 945. D. GRANDMAISON 2,378,369

UNIVERSAL JOINT AND RATCHET DEV ICE Filed Dec. 8, 1943 I 2 Sheets-Shae 2Inventor DEN/s g ezmpMhlson/ 2 2917 Y I By Patented June l2, 1945 IUNIVERSAL JOINT AND RATCHET DEVICE Denis Grand Maison, Markstay, ntario,Canada Application December 8, 1943, Serial No. 513,434

UNITED STATES PATENT! OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improveduniversal joint and ratchet deviceadapted to be interposed between the handle and work-engaging member ofa socket wrench or like tool, wherebysaid tool may be eflicientlyapplied and. operated where access to the work is' difiicult or'continuous rotation of the work-engaging member is impossible.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe above kind embodying means whereby, the work-engaging member may beselectively driven in either direction with a, ratchet action, orwhereby the work-engaging member may be I positively and continuouslydriven in either direction without a ratchet action. I

-A further object is to provide a device of the above kindwhich isdurable, efiicient in operation and otherwise well adaptedfor asuccessful commercial use.

The present invention consists in the novel form, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference, char acters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is an elevational view of-a socket wrench equipped with auniversal joint and ratchet device constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the universal joint andratchet device per se.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 isa horizontal sectiontakenon line 4-'4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the upper casing section andassociated parts of the de-' vice, with the ratchet ring operativelyassociated therewith.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the ratchet ring removed.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the lower casing section of the device,showing the pawl car-. ried thereby.

Figure-12 is an enlarged perspective view of the shifting'leverior'thepawl carried by the upper casing section. 1 v Figure 13 is an enlargedperspective view oi the upper'yoke member of the universal joint.

Referring in detail-to the drawings, the present device has been shownby way of example as applied to or incorporated in the structure of anextension socket wrench including a brace-like handle 5 and a shankextension 8 having a workengaging socket 1 on the lower end thereof. Thedevice is illustrated as interposed between the shank of the handle 5and the shank extension 6, and it includes a casing'composed of upperand lower ring sections 8 and 9 interlocked against relative rotation,as at W, andheld together by'screws ll passing, through openings l2 ofthe upper section. B and having threaded en vgagement in opening l3-inthe lower section 9.

Rotatable in thecasing is aratchet ringM having smooth end portionsrotat'ably fitting in the central openings of said casing sections 8and'9 and having intermediate its ends a pair of spaced integral ratchetwheels l5 and 16 whose teeth respectively face in opposite directions.The intermediate portion comprising the ratchet wheels I5 and 16 isreceived within mating annular rabbets H and It provided in the innerperipheries of the adjacent faces of said casing sections 8 and 9. Arecess I9 is provided in the under surface of the casing section 8,within which is arranged a pawl 29 disposed to engage the upper ratchetwheel l5 of ratchet ring I4. The pawl 20 is yieldingly urged intoengagement with the'ratchet wheel [5 by means of springs 2| and 22. Apawl-releasing lever '23 has a shaft 29 journaled in the section 8,and'provided on the shaft 24 directly above the pawl 20 is an arm 25carrying a crank pin 26 engaged-in a longi- Figure 8 is an elevationalview or the cover plate for the casing, together with the associated Ipawl-shifting device.

tudianl slot 21 ofsaid pawl 29. The lever 23 is normally disposed toextend inwardly toward the center of section 8, and outward swinging ofthelever 23 will efiect outward movement or retraction ofthe pawl 29from engagement with the ratchet wheel l5..

Another lever 28 has a shaft 29 journaled in the casing section 8 and anarm 39 is provided on the lower end of the shaft 29 within a recess 3|of said section 8,,said arm 30 being provided with a depending crankpin'32. 'The casing section 9 also has a relatively deep'recess 33 inits upperiace within which is disposed a pawl'34 arranged to engage thelower ratchet wheel it of the ratchet ring l4 and normally urged intoengagement with the latter by means of springs 35 and 36. The crank pin32 of the lever 28 engages in a longitudinal slot 3'! of the pawl 34,and the lever 28, normally extends inwardly toward the center of thecasing section 8 and is operable by outward swinging movement thereof toretract r disengage the pawl 34 from the ratchet Wheel l6. It will benoted that the pawls 20 and 3'4 face in opposite directions tocorreincluding an arm 40 extending between the inner ends of the levers23 and 28 and provided with an upturned free end 4! provided with areduced terminal end portion adapted to selectively enter one of anarcuate series of openings 42' provided in the cover plate 38, whenregistered therewith.

The pawl-retracting device: further includes a handle 43 fixed on theupper end' of the shaft 38, and aspring 44 is interposed between thehandle 43 and. the cover plate 38 to yieldingly elevate the arm 40 andengage its. reduced terminal in the opening 42 with which itv may bealigned. By pressing downwardly on. the handlev 43,. the terminal of thearm 40 may be disengaged from an open ng 42' to permit swinging of:said: arm

in the desired direction for actuating either one of the levers 23 or28. Thus, by swinging the arm 40' in. one direction,' the lever 23 maybe swung outwardly to. release the associated pawl 20. while the pawl:34 remains. active-r This affords a ratchet drivev between the handleand the work engagng' member I in one direction, and a reverse ratchetdrive. may obviously be provided by causing the arm 40' to swing thelever 28 outwardly and retract. the pawl 34 while allowing the .pawl toremain operative. The terminal of the arm will engage in an opening 42when in position to hold e ther lever 2'3 or 28 inoperative. and, in theintermediate position of the arm 49. levers 2-3' and 28 are allowed toswin inwardly so that both pawls become operative and a positive,contnuous driving connection is provided in either direction between thehandle and the work-engaging member of the tool.

The present devicefurther includes a yoke or ball 45 straddling andhaving its legs pivoted to opposite sides ofthe' upper casing section 8,as at 45, within relatively wider recesses 41 provided in said casingsection 8. The yoke- 45 has an intermediate: socket member 48 whosepolygonal socket is adapted to receive a correspondingplug on the end ofthe shank of the handle 5-. Further, the ratchet. ring M has a pair ofdiametrically opposed spaced bearings 49 in which are journaled the endsof a shaft or pivot pin 51] carrying a depending plug member 5| on theintermediate port on thereof. The plug'member 5| is adapted to be:received in. the polygonal socket 52- on the upper end of extensionshank 6 of the.

tool, and any well known provision maybe made:

for detachably retaining the plug of. the. shank. of. handle 5 in the:socket: 48: and for retaining the plug'5l in the socket: 52'.v It willbe apparent when both pawls are ent skilled in the art.

that by reason of the pivotal connection of the yoke 45 with the casing8, 9 and the pivotal mounting of plug 5| with respect to ratchet ring M,a universal joint is had between the handle and the shank 6, when thepivots of plug member 5| are disposed at a right angle to those of yoke45, so that they may assume relative angular positions while rotatingthe work.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction andoperation, as well as the advantages of the: present invention, will bereadily understood and appreciated by those The present device affords areversible ratchet drive incorporated in a universal joint adapted forcoupling shank membersof a, wrench or like tool. The device furtherembodies provision whereby either one of a pair of oppositely actingpawls may be rendered inoperative so that a ratchet drive may be had ineither direction, and whereby both of said pawls maybepermitted. toremain in operative position forproviding acontinuous, positive drive ineither direction between the handle and the work-engaging element of atool.v Minor changes in the details of construction illustrated anddescribed are contemplated, such as fall within the spirit and. scope ofthe invention asclaimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. Ina wrench orlike tool, auniversal joint and ratchet devicecomprising a casing, a ratchet ring journaled in the casing for relativerotation therein, said ratchet ring having a pair of oppositely lacingratchet wheels in fixed relation thereto, oppositely actingspring-pressed pawls carried bythe casi'ngand normally engaging therespective ratchet wheels, means carried by the casing and manuallyoperable to render and retain. either desired one of said pawlsinoperative, a yoke pivoted to the top of said casing and having adriving socket adapted for reception of the shank or a handle, and aplug member depending from and pivoted to the ratchet ring for swingingmovement about an axs diametrically of said ring, said plug member beingadapted for driving reception within a socket of a tool shank providectwith a. work-engaging member, said ratchet ring being rotatable toposition the pivotal axis of the plug at a right angle to that of theyoke so as to'afl'ord a universal joint between the handle and the tool.7

2. In a device of the character decribed, a casing, a ratchet ringjournaled in the casing for rotation relative thereto, apair ofoppositely faoingratchet" wheels carried by the ratchet ring in fixedrelation to the latter, oppositely acting sprinte -engaged pawls carriedby the casing and arranged to engage the respective ratchet wheels,manually operable means carried by the casing for selectively renderingand retaining either desired One of. said pawls in retracted inoperativeposition with respect to its associated ratchet wheel, and means toconnect'opposite ends of the casing and the ratchet ring with tool shanksections, said last-named means'embodying universal joint elementspivoted. respectively to the casing and to the ratchet ring, saidratchet ring being rotatable to position the pivotal axes of saiduniversal'. joint. elements: at an angle to each other and aiford auniversal joint between the tool shank sections.

DENIS ll/iAI-SON.

